Fire-extinguisher



(No Model) L. 0.1mm. FIRE EXTINGUISHE R.

ateted July 5,1887;

N. PETERS, Pnoto-Lilm n hor. Washinglon. DV 0.

UNITED Sra rns rinse.

LEWIS G. KIDD, .OF RICHMOND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES I. ROBINSON, OF MANCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,922, dated July 5, 1887,

Application filed January 22, 1887. Serial No. 225,167. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Lnwrs O. KIDD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of IIenrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Fire-EXtinguishers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for extinguishing the fire in stoves of railroad-cars should the said stoves be upset or removed from their normal positions, as by a collision or accident of some kind. There are two sources of dan-- ger from fire in collisions-the one the catching afire' of the wreck from the lamps, and this I have provided against in another application filed by me on the 22d day of January, 1887 the other the catching alire of the wreck from the stove, and the greater dangerin case of accident. This I overcome as hereinafter set forth.

My invention consists, essentially, in providing apartments or reservoirs in the upper portion or roof of the car, whichwill contain water or some fire-extinguishing agent, and from these reservoirs pipes will extend into and surround the stove. The flow of waterin these pipes will be controlled by a valve in each tank, which will, in case of accident, be automatically elevated and the contained water allowed to flow upon and into the stove and extinguish the fire.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or come sponding features, Figurel represents acrosssectional view taken through a car near one end, showing my improved means for extinguishing the fire in the stove. Fig. 2 is a modification of the device for controlling the flow of the water. Fig. 3 is a view showing the perforations in the pipe which surrounds the stove. Fig. 4 is a modified formof releasing the valve, and Fig. 5 a detail view showing more clearly the valve and its pivotal connections.

The letter A designates the flooring of the car, and the letter B the ordinary or any approved kind of stove, encircling which are the .ervoirs D D.

pipes C and O, entering, respectively, the res- These pipes at a number of poi nts,as at E, are provided with short branches E, which enter directly into the stove, and the pipe which surrounds the stove is provided with a number of small perforations, which allow more or less of the water, as it passes through, to play directly upon the exterior of the stove, so that it takes but a very short time to entirely quench the fire. Each of the reservoirs has a. false bottom, F, which is cut away at G, so as to forma valve-seat for the valve I-I, whieh'is hinged to the said false bot tom.

The letter I designates a rod pivoted at one end to the valve II, and at the other pivotally connected with the lever J, which is fulcrumed at K, and is provided at its free end with a weight, L.

Suspended from the top of the car in any convenient manner, one to each tank, as represented in Fig. 1, are 'clampers or graspers M, the same consisting of two arms, N and O, which grasp and-hold a weight on the end of the lever J, and which are looked, after they receive the weight, by the catch P. The free end of this catch is provided with a chain, to the end of which is attached a weight, said weight resting upon a shelf, It. Now, should the trains collide, the weight Q would be thrown from its place, the catch 1? would release the arms N and O, and the wei hted end of the lever J would descend, the valve would be raised, and the water or other fluid would flow through the pipes and into and over the I stove in such quantities as to soon entirely ex tinguish the fire.

In Fig. 2 I have increased the length of the weighted levers, so as to enable me to do away with one of the holding devices.

In Fig. i I have showna modification of the means for releasing the holding device. In this instance I do away with the weight and extend through the end of the car a rod, S, which is provided on its exterior portion with a collar, T, and a spring, U, interposed between the end of the car and the collar, so as to normally push the rod toward the car. The end of the rod is also provided with a buffet plate, V. N ow, when a collision occurs, the rod S is forced toward the interior of the car and its beveled end W rides upon and depresses the beveled end of the lever W,

whereby the arms are freed and the weighted lever which connectswith the valve raised, raising with it the valve, and the water is thus allowed to flow into the pipes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railway-car, the combination, with a reservoir provided with an outlet located near a stove, a valve to cover said outlet, and a lever weighted at one end, which controls said valve, of graspers which support said weighted end of the lever, and a second lever to hold said graspers closed upon the weight, but which second lever is released upon the sudden jarring of the car.

2. In a railway-car, the combination, with areservoir provided with an outlet located near a stove, a valve therein to cover said outlet, and a lever weighted at one end and pivoted to the side of the reservoir, of graspers which support the weighted end of the lever, and a second lever pivoted to one member of the graspers and engaging the other member, soas to close upon and hold the weighted end of the first-named lever, and a distinct weight which is connected to the second-named lever,

and which, on the sudden jarring of thecar, 3o falls and frees the graspers and allows the weighted end of the first-named lever to descend and the valve to open.

3. The combination, with a railroad-car, of a stove surrounded by pipes having perfora- 35 tions on the side nearest the stove, and provided at intervals with branches which extend into the stove, of a reservoir which automatically in time of danger discharges its contents through said pipes and into and upon the stove, whereby the fire is extinguished.

4. The combination,with a railway-car having a stove surrounded by pipes provided with branches which extend into the stove,of a reservoir provided with an outlet, a valve to cover the outlet, a weighted lever 'which controls the valve, and which weighted lever in time of danger falls and opens the valve and allows the reservoir to discharge its contents through said pipes and into said stove,whereby the fire is extinguished.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS O. KIDD.

Witnesses:

J. B. Goonn, PLEASANT Goons. 

